Updates & News | 2023/2024 School Year
Perrysburg Schools’ Facility Dog Program first began at Perrysburg High School in 2019. Trained facility dogs are now placed in three buildings within the school district – Perrysburg High School (Taft), Perrysburg Junior High School (Salts) and Hull Prairie Intermediate School (Kincaid) – with a fourth placement coming to Toth Elementary School in the near future. The goal is to eventually have dogs placed in each building of the school district.
Facility dogs are specially trained to provide physical, social, cognitive and/or emotional assistance to individuals in schools and classrooms as well as in other public settings, according to Circle Tail, the nonprofit organization that trained and placed the facility dogs in Perrysburg Schools.
All of the dogs placed in the schools have gone through training programs accredited by Assistance Dogs International (ADI), providing reassurance for the legitimacy of best practice and highest standard facility dogs.
Each dog has a team of handlers at their assigned school who work with the dog during the school day in various settings and with all school district employees and students. Each dog has a host who is the dog’s caregiver when the dog is not at school.
Information is shared with students and employees about interacting with the dogs and how the dogs support a positive learning environment. Dog-free and dog-friendly zones are determined in each school for students and staff members.
Perrysburg Schools’ Facility Dog Program is made possible through private donations to Perrysburg Schools Foundation from businesses, families, school district employees, grandparents and alumni, as well as in-kind support from Perrysburg Animal Hospital and Plontzie’s Pet Grooming.
Perrysburg Schools also works cooperatively with the Ability Center in Toledo to offer training sites for dogs completing their training prior to finding a “fur-ever” home in other local districts, contributing to the efforts to support education systems in surrounding areas. Two schools currently host dogs in training.
Alana Sigg, School Counselor at Perrysburg High School and Coordinator of the program, shared: “Across the district, staff and families share that facility dogs have made a “paw-sitive” impact on our schools. Many students look forward to coming to school seeing these friendly puppy dog eyes! All find connectedness in the quick ’say hi’ visits! Some students who report that they struggle to complete school tasks have found their connection and the support felt with their furry friends increases their resilience to overcome their barriers and be successful at school.”
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